USU Tooele campus remodeled
Utah State University Tooele plans to show off its newly remodeled campus after nine months of planning and construction. Group and individual study spaces, greenery and natural light are just some of the additions made to improve the student experience.
Jenn Cowburn, USU Tooele associate vice president, began her work at the campus almost a decade ago. Cowburn cites herself as the main instigator, the one who secured the funding and the strongest voice while designing.
The Tooele campus building was built almost 30 years ago. Cowburn shared they were able to make some small updates, like painting and replacing the carpet, throughout the years, but they found the function of the building itself awkward.
“When you would come in the front doors, you had to walk through the open lobby area. It was hard to find the front desk, hard to find where things were,” Cowburn said. “We didn’t have a lot of places for students to gather, commune, network or study.”
The design itself focuses on being welcoming and timeless. Thanks to feedback from those who work and study in the spaces, they were able to create something that has enabled them to already see change around campus.
“Very rarely did I see students actually in the lobby area before this remodel. There were a few couches and tables, but we didn’t ever see them gather,” Cowburn said. “It’s been so much fun to watch them come out.”
The new student lounge includes a Nintendo Switch, rocking chairs and a pebble ice machine, which was coveted by both students and faculty. SharLynn Mueller, USU Tooele assistant director also had a hand in the design.
“I started out by contacting various stakeholders. We had listening sessions with students and other people within the city and county to find out what they envisioned,” Mueller said. “We wanted a look that was timeless because we were probably only going to get one chance in a very long time because of the cost to do this.”
Cowburn shared herself and Mueller had very similar visions for what the completed project would look like, which helped things run more smoothly. However, they did run into some issues along the way.
“You start opening up walls, grinding up the floor, then you find out you don’t have plumbing where you thought you had it,” Cowburn said. “We absolutely loved working with Jacobsen Construction. It’s never seamless, it’s never easy, but they made it as easy as it possibly could be.”
Despite working in higher education for decades, Cowburn shared that she feels there is something special about USU Tooele. The staff are like family, and now they have a building that reflects that.
“When this disruption happened, people were moved out of their offices and had to work remotely. Things changed dramatically for those seven to eight months,” Cowburn said. “I never heard a complaint. I never heard, ‘Why are you making us do this? You know how hard this makes our lives and jobs?’ Everybody just says, ‘What do you need, and how can I help?’”
Mueller also commented on how encouraged students and staff have seemed post-renovation. Not only has the light and openness encouraged socialization, but smaller things like more USB ports and charging ports have aided in the functionality of the space.
Both Mueller and Cowburn have favorite parts of the remodel. Mueller spoke about a table they call the amoeba table due to its unique shape, located in the main atrium. It is covered in live plants, which Mueller takes care of.
“The ceiling in the student lounge is one of my favorites,” Cowburn said. “It’s got balusters that run all different directions, and they’re in these really bright greens and oranges and blues. That’s part of my favorite aspect of the design.”